The Square Bamboo is a great ornamental
bamboo. It is a very upright grower and makes a good hedge plant for Zone 9
and warmer places. In colder places it is best used as a specimen or
container plant that can be moved inside for the winter. In
Zone 8 it will sometimes be killed to the ground in very cold winters, but
is still worthwhile due to its beauty. Its upright habit
and graceful foliage make it a excellent specimen for a focal point. The
culms are somewhat square and the nodes have root thorns which are very
interesting. It has a yellow grove on the sulcus of an otherwise dark green
cane. The stripe is not very prominent so often this bamboo is sold as the
regular "Square Stem Bamboo".